


A Face Like Starlight

by TheSecondQueenOfSol



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Wicked Years Series - Gregory Maguire, Wicked - All Media Types, Wicked - Schwartz/Holzman
Genre: AU with character/story traits from both book and musical universes, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff, Hogwarts AU, NB Elphie, Other, the usual crew will all be here as the fic goes on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-07-19 00:15:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16129613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSecondQueenOfSol/pseuds/TheSecondQueenOfSol
Summary: It's finally here; Elphaba's first year at Hogwarts. Their delight and dread are indistinguishable. A whole year of freedom, with libraries to scour and feasts to enjoy and quidditch games and classes and maybe… well, maybe friends.Galinda Arduenna is pureblood, but not like "dark wizards and dark marks" pureblood. More like gilded halls and rich, doting parents and roaring scarlet lions draped around her home of Upland Manor. The Sorting went perfectly, exactly how she wanted, but her parents... well, they’ll come around. Hopefully.





	1. The First Years of Freedom

**Author's Note:**

> The Gelphie tag is nearly wall-to-wall angst and as much as I love all those fics, canon is depressing enough, so here is a fic of fluff and sweetness. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows, but hopefully it’ll all make you smile. With MK and GC wrapping up their time on the 2nd national tour this month, I really, really needed cheering up.  
> Hit me up [@themistsoftime](https://themistsoftime.tumblr.com) or in the comments if this is something you'd like to read more of, because that'll decide how long I make the fic. I'm also definitely taking feedback and questions if anything is confusing or uncertain.  
> This first chapter covers a lot of time because this is a gelphie fic and things only start to get interesting in third year. The next chapter is positively saturated in Gelphie though so stay tuned. Finally, happy reading!

Elphaba’s delight and dread were indistinguishable, both tugging incessantly at their gut and making this whole experience way to confusing. This was first year. It was freedom, but with a good chance of solitude. The weird looks and whispers followed them everywhere, and children were the least subtle offenders. A year among that… but it was also a whole year at Hogwarts. With libraries to scour and feasts to enjoy and quidditch games and classes and maybe… well, maybe friends.

Elphaba eyed the Hogwarts Express, gleaming and steaming in the crisp London air, and gathering the students off the platform and into its carriages. As they stepped through the crowd it parted like it always did, people turning and stepping back; apprehension, confusion, disgust. Without engaging the whispers, they lifted their trunk onboard and hurried to the closest empty cabin, shoving the door aside and finding refuge alone.

As the hour ticked closer to Eleven the platform began to empty, the last stragglers hurrying onboard. Elphaba watched them all, wondering at their lives and their feelings and their attitudes to green.

There was no one to wave them goodbye. Nessa and Shell and Nanny were back home and Frex was… whatever. It wasn’t like they really cared. But it might have been nice.

There was a clunk and the door to the cabin pulled back to reveal a short boy with mousey blonde hair and a round, open face. His smile flickered as he looked Elphaba over, and they prepared for some insensitive question or cruel remark.

“Mind if I set with you?” he asked, voice still bright. He wore a funny little cap and a t-shirt that read ‘Tutshill Tonrnadoes Quidditch’. Harmless enough. Elphaba nodded.

“Thanks,” he grinned pulling the door open further and shuffling inside and then pausing, biting his lip and offering his hand. “I’m Boq. Boq Hardings.”

Elphaba gave it a firm shake. “Elphaba.”

He slid his trunk away and took the seat across from them.

“So…” he started awkwardly, and Elphaba figured they may as well get it over with.

“You can say it.”

“You’re… green?”

“Birth defect.”

Boq nodded and glanced out the window. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

“You won’t be the first,” Elphaba shrugged. “It is what it is.”

“So, ah… what house do you think you’ll be in?”

“I don’t know,” they lied. “You?”

“Hufflepuff, I hope,” he grinned, and Elphaba had to work hard to suppress a snort. Of course this guy was a Puff.

“That’s cool.”

There was a soft knock and the cabin door opened again to reveal a boy with dark eyes and deep skin and the most extraordinary electric blue tattoos shining across his shoulders and face.

“Any spare seats?” he asked with a disarming smile, and Boq sat up a little straighter.

“Plenty,” he nodded, and the new boy pushed in to offer Boq a hand.

“Fiyero Tigelaar, at your service.”

“Boq Hardings.”

“Elphaba,” they nodded, letting him take the seat next to Boq and hoping he’d stop staring soon.

“I’m guessing that’s not makeup?” Fiyero asked brazenly, and Elphaba bit back a pang of frustration.

“Birth defect.”

“Wow,” Fiyero raised his brow, staring blatantly.

“That’s one way of putting it,” Elphaba looked away, trying not to look too uncomfortable with his gawking.

“Would you change it?”

“What?”

“I mean if there was a spell to change it, would you?”

“Yeah, I’m not answering that.”

There was a horrendously awkward pause in which Elphaba glared out the window and Fiyero pretended to get comfortable.

“So,” Boq began again, failing to hide his discomfort. “Do you guys have any… ah, brothers or sisters?”

“A sister,” Fiyero grinned. “Older. You?”

“A bunch, but I’m the oldest,” Boq beamed, and they both turned to Elphaba expectantly.

“A sister and a brother. Both younger,” they offered, silently thanking this kid for his heart of solid gold.

“So, umm…” he rubbed the back of his neck, looking to Elphaba but refusing to meet their eyes. “Elphaba, right? So um, what pronouns do you prefer?”

Elphaba blinked at him, their heart lurching unexpectedly. That was… he had bothered to… too late, they realised a long moment had passed and they hadn’t said a word. Boq’s face fell.

“Sorry, I mean I didn’t mean to offend you or anything I just…” he blabbered.

“No, it’s cool,” Elphaba cut in, giving him a small smile. “I just didn’t expect… but um, it’s they/them.”

“So you’re, ah, non-binary or…?” Fiyero asked, genuine curiosity peeking through his uncertainty.

“Yeah. I mean I was already green so I figured what the hell,” they shrugged. Boq grinned and Fiyero let out a bark of laughter, and Elphaba let themself smile just a little again.

That was… surprisingly painless.

***

“Galinda Arduenna,” Professor McGonagall read, and a girl a head shorter than Elphaba, with perfectly coiled blonde hair and posture to kill, broke from the crowd and pranced up to the stool. Her confidence was almost insulting, but her bright smile was not quite sincere. She didn’t look eleven, she looked about thirteen, but it was all in the pomposity and stride. Professor McGonagall lowered the Hat onto her head and it scrunched its worn face up, huffing.

“Well, that’s interesting, isn’t it? Not a hard one though. Slytherin!” the Hat declared, and something other than confidence twitched in the curve of the girl’s lips. Something like doubt, but in a second it was gone and she gave another beaming smile as the Hat was taken from her brow and she stalked toward the table of cheering green.

The names flittered by and Elphaba barely paid attention, their dread rising as the list grew closer and closer to the letter T. There was a Pfannee Hall who giggled her way to the Slytherin table, and Boq seemed pretty thrilled at being sorted into Hufflepuff. After one Avaric Tenmeadows was sorted into Gryffindor, and the Great Hall had fallen quiet again, there came the “Elphaba Thropp” they had been dreading.

The crowd parted as they moved forward, eyes flicking to them, growing shock evident as Elphaba lowered themself onto the stool. As the hall came into clear view, it fell very, very quiet. Then the whispers started.

 _Are they really green? I thought the Thropp family was pureblood, what the hell happened with that one?_ _Do you think it was an accident?_ _A curse? They look like a damn vegetable._

Then the hat was resting on their head, surprisingly heavy, and it began its muttering conjecture as it dug through their thoughts.

“There’s a heart in here, that’s for sure. Brave too, without a doubt, but you’re no fool, no fool at all. But there’s something else… hmm… Understanding. That’s what you seek. Understanding, and to be understood. A rare soul, you have. Hmm, yes, I know where you belong. Ravenclaw!”

There was a polite cheering, and they slipped from the stool, and walked tall toward the Ravenclaw table, trying to hide the shaking of their hands and the relief on their face. A few girls slid aside and introduced themselves with uncertain smiles and faces full of questions.

“Fiyero Tigelaar,” Professor McGonagall called, and the Sorting continued as Fiyero strutted over to the uproarious Gryffindor table.

***

“Girls to the left, boys to the right,” the Prefect instructed, and Elphaba’s whole heart sank.

As the rest of the first years scattered to their dorms, chattering excitedly, they hung back and waited for the Common Room to clear.

“Um, Alban?” they stepped toward their prefect tentatively, and saw recognition flash in his eyes.

“Hey, yeah. You must be Elphaba, right?” he gave a confident smile and they nodded. “Professor Flitwick said he wanted to see you asap. His office is just down the hall. Come on, I’ll show you.”

He wasn’t lying, it really was just a few steps outside of the door. Alban gave a firm knock and Flitwick’s voice squeaked “Enter.”

“I’ll see you round,” Alban grinned, and pushed the door open for Elphaba to enter.

“Ah, Elphaba Thropp, isn’t it? Come in, come in,” Flitwick waved a hand and the door clicked shut as he shifted a stack of books to clear Elphaba a place to sit. He was a lot shorter up close. Elphaba wasn’t sure if that was an offensive thing to think but it was definitely true. “I received your letter, and I must say I’m very grateful you took the initiative. I’m afraid I wouldn’t have known what to do otherwise. As it stands, I’ve done a little preparation.”

“Preparation, Professor?” Elphaba asked, lowering to the offered seat.

“Yes, yes, preparation!” He rustled around his desk before producing a piece of parchment and passing it over. “I compiled a list of alternatives titles. Now if you could just take a look and tell me which you would prefer?”

“Well, I think the easiest for everyone else would…”

“That was not my question,” Flitwick cut them off with a firm but kind look, and Elphaba bit their tongue. “What would _you_ prefer, Elphaba?”

They took a proper look at the list. _Misc, Tiz, Mir, Mx, Ind…_

“Mir, Professor,” they decided. “I would prefer Mir Thropp.”

“Well then, Mir Thropp, I’ll be sure to inform the rest of the staff. If there are any issues, my door is always open. Figuratively, of course.”

“Thanks, Professor.”

“Don’t thank me yet! I’m sure you’re aware we usually split the dormitories into girls and boys but that just won’t do.”

“I was thinking I could...” they began again, but Flitwick cut them off with another wave of his hand.

“No, no, hear me out first. Actually,” he snapped his fingers and the door sprung open. “Best to show you, I think.”

Before they could respond he was up and hurrying for the door, and he didn’t stop until they were back in the Common Room, standing in front of the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw and the entrances to the dormitories.

“I’ve discussed alternatives with the Headmaster and we’ve agreed this is the most suitable,” Flitwick said with a decisive nod as he raised his wand. “ _Revelio!_ ”

There was a small flash and the wall began to fall away like sand in an hourglass, carving itself out. Elphaba realised with a small grin that it was shaping itself into a third door in the blank space between the other two.

“For yourself, Mir Thropp, and any future students who would prefer it. Now if that is all, I think I’ll leave you to your unpacking. Your bags will be waiting inside.”

“Thank you, sir,” Elphaba nodded, swallowing hard against their rising emotions.

“I will see you in Charms, Mir Thropp. Until then!” the Professor said in his rather high voice, and then departed with a satisfied nod.

Elphaba took in a deep breath and pushed the third door open. Their door. For now, it was just theirs.

***

All things considered, their first week was going pretty well, and by the third day the snide comments of their peers were generally missing their mark. Rather unexpectedly, there was a strange solidarity among the Ravenclaws that formed around Elphaba. The other first years hadn’t exactly leapt at the chance to sit near them or strike up conversations, but whenever some idiot from another house started throwing insults, there always seemed to be a Ravenclaw nearby to leap in and throw them right back, or to offer Elphaba a seat, or a kind smile.

They had Charms with Boq and the Hufflepuffs, Flying with Fiyero and the other Gryffindors, and now History of Magic with…

“Wrong house, Green Bean?

Oh, History with the Slytherins. Great.

They looked up to see who’d spoken, and found Galinda, the blonde girl with perfect posture, smirking across the classroom at them from her seat on the desk. Around her were arrayed Pfannee and Shenshen and a bunch of Slytherins she’d clearly collected. Third day and she’d already planted herself firmly at the top of the pile. She worked fast.

A few Ravenclaw heads turned at the insult.

“No,” Elphaba shrugged nonchalantly. It was hardly an original. They eyed Galinda, gaze lingering on the green of her tie and the group of Slytherins, not bothering to hid their disgust. “I think the Hat got it just right.”

Something darted across Galinda’s face, but all too quickly it was replaced by a cruel smile. “Perhaps you’re right. I’m sure you’d clash with our green. Besides, we wouldn’t want a Thropp dirtying up the Common Room.”

Elphaba tensed, and glared across the classroom, preparing a dozen biting remarks before they felt someone tugging at their sleeve.

“Hey, forget her,” came a voice, and Elphaba glanced down to find another Ravenclaw they half recognised. “She's not worth it. You’re Elphaba, right?”

“Yeah,” they nodded, trying to quash their rising anger and keep their eyes from drifting back to the blonde's posse.

“Here, I’m not waiting for anyone,” the girl smiled, sliding across and offering Elphaba the seat beside her. They took it gratefully. Galinda seemed to have already lost interest.

“I’m Sarima,” she offered her hand, and Elphaba shook it. “Sarima Ko.”

“Elphaba.”

“It’s cool to finally meet you.”

“Take your seats, take your seats!” came a voice from the back of the room, and an old Faun clopped his way to the desk up the front, dropping a stack of books onto the table and turning to face the quieting room. “Good afternoon class. I am Doctor Dillamond, and I welcome you to History of Magic.”

The hour flew by. Elphaba absorbed every word Dillamond spoke and when he began to wrap things up they could hardly believe the time had passed at all, and were already searching their timetable for when next class was. Thursday. Thursday couldn’t come sooner.

Dillamond dismissed the class and the others filed out, leaving Elphaba lingering behind.

“Doctor Dillamond, sir?” they asked, stepping toward the Faun’s desk as he turned to give a warm smile.

“Ah yes, Mir Thropp, isn’t it? A pleasure.”

“About what you were saying on the Gargoyle Strike of 1911…”

“Ah, yes. A fascinating period. Unionized gargoyles and all that.”

“I was wondering if there was somewhere I could read a bit more on it. Only our textbook is pretty thin on the subject.”

“Extra reading already, Mir Thropp?” Dillamond chuckled, peering over his glasses at them. “I do believe we will get along splendidly.”

***

Classes were easy, but that was nothing new. Having their own room was a surprising and welcome bonus. No one to bother them at three in the morning when they were still up reading, and no one to tell them to pick up their socks. Not that that needed being said. They’d always been a pretty neat person.

Friends were another matter. They didn’t exactly have friends (at least, they didn’t think so) but they had a fair few acquaintances. The novelty of green person got tiring pretty quickly, and everyone sort of got on with it. Boq seemed absolutely determined to be their friend, seizing ownership of the seat next to theirs in Charms and never letting go. They didn’t mind. He was irritatingly persistent, but it didn’t absolutely suck.

Sarima stuck by them in History of Magic, and Fiyero was friendly in Flying. Mostly though, it was just avoiding the sharp words of the catty Slytherins and occasional brash Gryffindor and finding a decent book to occupy them until next class or next meal.

Plus, they threw themself into extra study. A lot of it. When Professor Sprout found them in the Library late one night hunched over a third year textbook, she let out a hearty laugh before summoning a well-worn hardcover and placing it down in front of them, saying only that this would prove far more interesting. She wasn’t wrong.

When the first break arrived and most other students were preparing to head home, Elphaba found themself looking forward to a mostly empty castle ripe for exploring. When Boq bounced up to them in Charms and announced he’d be staying over the break too, they didn’t actually mind the thought of company.

The holidays came and went, and Elphaba was surprised to find themself becoming rather fond of Boq. He was a pretty decent kid, and after the first time, had never mentioned their skin again. In fact, they’d even heard second hand that he’d been defending them behind their back when others started muttering, which was more than they probably deserved.

When the sun was out and Boq insisted, Elphaba sometimes found themself on the grass by the Black Lake (as far from the water as they could manage without suspicion), sitting with Boq and a few of his friends. Sometimes that included Sarima, sometimes Fiyero and the boy named Avaric. Most unexpectedly, whenever one of them couldn’t figure out their homework or got stumped revising, they came to Elphaba. It was a strange thing, to be needed. Most still glanced at them funny when they thought Elphaba wasn’t looking, but they were long since used to it. Still, they had a place. They were the nerd, and everyone pretty much assumed they had an answer to every question, and they usually did.

When the marks came out at the end of the year, no one batted an eye when Elphaba came top of almost every class. Almost, being fairly key. They weren’t even near the top of Flying, but that was pretty unsurprising. There was a bunch of Quidditch wannabes that were battling for top and they didn’t mind conceding that class.

What was surprising was Defence Against the Dark Arts. They’d been top all year, with a few close seconds, but when Professor Nikidik announced the exam marks, one Miss Galinda Arduenna had beat them for the top score by half a mark.

The Slytherins threw a bunch of snickering glares and snide words, but when Elphaba had glanced at Galinda, the blonde girl only gave them a soft nodded. Not cruel or malicious, just a simple acknowledgment of victory and defeat. Elphaba gave a nod in return, and that was that. It was the most harmless interaction they’d had all year. Sure, it sucked to lose, and to lose to Galinda Arduenna, Queen of the First Year Slytherins, sucked even more, but fair was fair. She must have been smart. Way smarter than she let on, anyway.

When Professor Sinistra dropped their marked Astronomy exams on their desks in the final class, Elphaba was annoyed to find they’d scored second yet again. Second to Galinda Arduenna. Second by a full mark this time. It seemed they had a rival they hadn’t prepared for.

Everything else though, Herbology, Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, all went to Elphaba. A couple of people even asked quietly if they’d be willing to help them out next year. At first they’d been too flustered to respond, but after the third person, they’d just nodded and said yes.

Even with all those victories, their thoughts stuck on Galinda. After the first few weeks, she’d had little to say to them. The insults dried up and she seemed to lost interest in the Green Bean. She still didn’t step in when her cronies had thrown insults, but she hadn’t exactly joined them either. It was a weird middle ground that Elphaba couldn’t figure out, and really didn’t enjoy. That was, until one late night early in their second year, when everything had settled back into the rhythm of school and Elphaba had accidentally broken curfew. Again.

The sun had set without them even noticing, and when they looked up and realised they were already breaking about six school rules, they considered the repercussions. Getting caught now would be kind of bad. Probably at least a detention. Getting caught in two hours’ time? Probably the same.

They crept out of their hiding place and into the library proper, still warm but absolutely pitch black. It might have been suffocating, but Elphaba found it a comfort. It was easier to sink back into the shadows when you were green.

They lifted their bag close to their chest and set out toward the back, where the full moon light would be shining through the arched windows, just enough to read by. When they rounded the corner, the soft padding of their shoes barely audible, they stopped dead still and blinked rapidly.

There, with books strewn around her and blonde hair irritatingly luminous in the moonlight, sat Galinda Arduenna.

Elphaba sunk back, a part of them ready to turn and flee this intrusion, but a bigger part wondering what the hell Galinda was doing studying after curfew in the library. Sure, she was smart, but she’d never shown any sign of investing in it. She was too cool to be seen studying. Too cool to actually care. At least… well, wasn’t she?

They remained fused to the spot, eyes unmoving from Galinda’s pale face. She frowned in concentration, an expression Elphaba could only describe as adorable. What cruel intentions lay beneath that soft exterior? What malice did she hide? Would it hurt to show themself? They were both breaking curfew, after all.

They stepped out from the shadows and into the moonlight, letting their bag fall to their side and making as much noise as quietly possible.

Galinda jumped, books clattering to the ground as she scrambled back, eyes darting up.

“Sweet Merlin, Elphaba,” she breathed, taking in a deep breath, and saying their name as though she'd ever used it before. “You didn’t have to sneak up like some monster in the night.”

“I thought I was the Green Bean,” they replied, tone level, and noted with some satisfaction the way Galinda winced.

“Yeah, I…” she trailed off. Elphaba waited expectantly for her to finish, only to be met with no answer. “Were you hear to study or…? I mean I know it’s past curfew but…”

“It’s fine. I won’t tell anyone you were here,” they said, turning to go.

“Really?” Galinda asked, and Elphaba realised it was the first time she’d ever sounded anything less than absolutely confident.

“Who would believe me, anyway?” they shrugged, and left without another word. They could study back in their room without Galinda Arduenna being… whatever she was being.


	2. Only Fools Fall For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Third year is here, and so are the feelings they have all been avoiding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I wasn’t 100% happy with my voice/writing style in the first chapter, so I’m tweaking it just a little. Let me know what you think, and if you enjoy this one more. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!

Elphaba’s prediction was, of course, correct. Nessa was a Slytherin. They’d be lying if they said they weren’t worried about the barbed words and muttering that would probably go on behind her back. Who knows, maybe the Slytherins would be different with one of their own? Probably not though. Elphaba would probably have to jinx an idiot or two before the year was up. At least Nessa had Nanny to vent to.

Elphaba was looking forward to the quiet solitude of the NB dorm, but as they pushed the door open they stopped short, finding someone leaning against the windowsill and staring out onto the bustling castle.

“Hey,” they said, hating how awkward it sounded. The intruder turned and flashed a smile.

“Hey,” they grinned, shoving their hands in their pockets. “You’re Elphaba, right? I’m Crope. Fourth year.”

“Yeah, I’ve seen you around,” Elphaba nodded and shook off the weird nervousness that came with company, finally stepping away from the door and toward the bed they’d used last year.

“I hope you don’t mind company,” Crope rubbed the back of their neck, and looked about the room. It was big. Way bigger than two people needed.

“Not at all,” Elphaba shook their head, tossing their bag down and flipping open their waiting trunk. “I got used to it but… it’ll be good. Something different.”

“Cool,” Crope grinned, seemingly satisfied. “I wasn’t sure which bed you wanted.”

“I’ll stick with this one, if that’s cool. Unless you’re desperate for the window.”

“Nah, it’s all yours,” Crope pushed off from the window and dropped to another bed, kicking off their shoes. “It’s really cool that you got them to make this room.”

Elphaba looked up from unpacking and shrugged. “Wasn’t my idea.”

“Still.”

They kept unpacking, and Crope watched them silently. It was harmless but not pleasant.

“So, any specific pronouns?” Elphaba asked, still trying to figure out whether Crope was going to be a chill roommate, or hell on earth.

“Yeah. Umm, they/them for now, I think.”

“Cool,” they nodded. “You’re dating that Tibbett guy, right?”

Crope’s face lit up. “Yeah.”

“He seems cool,” Elphaba nodded.

“Yeah, he’s the greatest.”

***

Elphaba took their place around the central table of the Herbology Greenhouse in the first period of the term just as the Slytherins began to file in. They couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. They actually really liked Herbology, so of course in sauntered Queen Galinda and her poisonous clique to make life just that little bit more annoying.

Shenshen took one look at Elphaba and sniggered. Awesome, this was just fantastic. A great way to the first day.

“Welcome class, now don’t get too comfortable. I’m going to pair you off and we can begin. Mir Thropp, you will be working with Miss Arduenna.”

_Wait… what?_ Elphaba’s gaze snapped to were Galinda stood blushing… _blushing?_

“I’m sorry, what?” the blonde half laughed, blinking at Professor Sprout.

“Ears open, Miss Arduenna. I said you’ll be working with Mir Thropp.”

“Professor, I’m sure that…” Elphaba started, but Sprout just gave them a firm look.

“It’s not up for debate,” she smiled, and continued reeling off names and pairing up the class. “Now come on, everyone find your partners and we’ll jump right in.”

Elphaba stared at Galinda across the table, and Galinda stared right back, unmoving. They probably should have been remembering every shout of ‘green bean’ and ‘weed’ and every bad vegetable pun. But they weren’t. They were remembering the library, that night last year, and Galinda sitting up past curfew, studying by the light of the moon.

Their feet took the few steps around the table to stop beside Galinda, and they pulled on a pair of gloves, not meeting her eyes.

“It’s okay, we can just work,” they offered quietly, leafing through the textbook. “You don’t have to talk.”

“But I… okay,” Galinda agreed, almost hesitant, pulling on her own gloves and turning to the book. “Fine, whatever.”

Something shifted, and Elphaba didn’t like it. The surprise faded, and it was replaced by something unpleasant. This was going to be just great. Just absolutely smashing. A really wonderful start to third year.

“Now, now. Settle down class,” Professor Slughorn instructed in potions the next day. “I know you’re all very excited to be back in potions, but don’t put down your cauldrons yet. You’ll be working in the following pairs for this first lesson. Miss Arduenna and Mir Thropp, Mister Johansson and Miss Hall…”

Elphaba’s ears closed off right then and there, eyes darting back to Galinda, who seemed to be quietly fuming behind the desk.

Really, just absolutely fantastic. Top notch. Paired with Galinda again. She’d spent all of Herbology passive-aggressively trying to correct Elphaba’s work and demanding to know why they wouldn’t just water the stupid plant themself, and now they had to suffer through it in Potions too.

When the hour was up, they shoved their things away and hurried off to Transfiguration, which they knew definitely didn’t contain one Galinda Arduenna.

When they took their seat beside Boq and Sarima in Divination on Wednesday, they realised there was a slim chance Galinda had picked the same elective. But really, what were the odds Galinda would choose exactly the same… and she waltzed right in, Pfannee, Shenshen and Milla in toe, taking the seats at the back of the room, farthest from where Elphaba sat. She gazed around the room and her eyes darted to Elphaba, only to dart away just as quickly.

Then Trelawney was standing hunched and flustered in front of the class, babbling about the Beyond and other nonsense and Elphaba’s gut was sinking. Just as Trelawney began pairing them up, they were thinking maybe this was the wrong choice for elective…

“…And finally, Miss Arduenna, you will work with Mir Thropp.”

“Oh, you cannot be serious!” Galinda threw her hands into the air, irritation and disbelief momentarily breaking her composure.

“I concur,” Elphaba growled, glaring over at her.

“I am quite serious in fact, Miss Arduenna. Quite serious,” Trelawney’s wild eyes darted between them. “Now if everyone could take up their crystal balls, we shall begin!”

This time Elphaba didn’t move. This time, Galinda was going to come to them. After a rather lengthy glaring competition in which Elphaba just settled back into their seat and Boq and Sarima cleared off to find their partners, Galinda’s lip twitched and she threw her bag back over her shoulder and glided over to meet them.

“Elphaba,” she smiled curtly, lowering down to the short table.

“Galinda,” they sat up and pulled out the textbook.

The class settled in, and Elphaba very much expected this hour to be like Herbology and Potions. That was, until…

“Look, can we just,” Galinda began, not looking at Elphaba. “Can we just, I don’t know, try to be normal?”

Elphaba blinked. “Was I not being normal?”

“I just mean,” Galinda huffed, trying to piece together the sentence. “We don’t have to sit in silence.”

“Why?” Elphaba smirked. Okay, what was up with Galinda?

“I don’t know. Maybe it’ll suck less.”

“I meant why are you trying to be nice to me?” they asked, still staring at her.

“You were never mean to me,” Galinda murmured, not loud enough for anyone to overhear.

“Yeah, that doesn’t usually stop people,” Elphaba snorted.

“Well it should,” Galinda said without hesitation, and then immediately blushed and shut right up. It was clearly more forceful than she meant to be.

Elphaba considered her, trying to figure out her play. With her poisonous trio of friends firmly planted on the other side of the room, she’d become the Galinda in the Library again.

“Okay.”

“What?” Galinda looked at them properly for the first time since she’d sat down.

“Okay. We can be normal,” Elphaba nodded. “But I’m guessing it’s just for this hour?”

Galinda grimaced but didn’t respond.

“Whatever,” Elphaba shrugged, leaning forward, reclaiming the personal space they’d lost when they’d shifted away from Galinda.

Trelawney continued droning on about the third eye and reading clouds or something, and Elphaba realised that they had indeed made a huge mistake choosing this class. There was nothing sensible about Divination. It was all feelings and maybes and could be and nothing was solid or true.

Galinda reached into her bag, and then reached further, and frowned and began digging around.

“What’s missing?” Elphaba ventured

“A pen.”

“It’s the third day of class and you already forgot a pen?”

“Shut up,” Galinda said, but she wasn’t serious. It was… almost playful?

Elphaba just huffed out a laugh and held out their spare to her. Galinda froze in her digging and stared at the quill.

“Normal, right?”

Galinda tentatively reached out and took it from their hand, nodding. “Normal.”

***

“Yeah, I’m dropping that,” Elphaba said as soon as they’d began descending the stairs with Boq and Sarima in toe.

“Because of Galinda?” Boq asked, smirking.

“What? No,” they tried really hard not to blush. “Because Divination is stupid.”

“Yeah, that’s fair. What’ll you do instead?”

“Ancient Runes, I think.”

“Gross, no way. I’ll stick with the stupid.”

“Sarima?”

“Divination is cool,” Sarima shrugged nonchalantly, and Elphaba wanted to hit themself.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean… sorry,” they said after a moment, and Sarima just gave them a soft smile.

“All good. But you could make it up to me by coming to watch the Quidditch try outs?”

“Wait, you’re trying out?” Boq blinked. “Awesome.”

“Yeah, I hope so. I kind of don’t want to go alone though.”

“We could try out,” Boq flashed a mischievous grin at Elphaba. “What do you say, Elphaba? I think you’d make a decent…”

“Not happening,” Elphaba cut him off. “But, ah, I’ll definitely come watch. When are they?”

“Saturday, after lunch.”

“We’ll be there!” Boq beamed. God, nothing could stifle that kids enthusiasm.

***

Turns out his enthusiasm could exasperate Elphaba though. After that first week, and the week after that and the week after that, when the teachers had finally stopped pairing Elphaba with Galinda, Boq admitted what everyone already knew was true. He had an (insufferable) crush on Galinda Arduenna, and it was annoying as all hell.

“I can’t help it,” Boq shrugged one afternoon while they studied on the grass by the lake. “Yeah, she’s horrible, but she’s… well, she’s really pretty.”

Elphaba grunted, but they couldn’t deny it. Galinda was pretty. She was the kind of effortlessly attractive that was infuriating, as though every morning she was awoken by Aphrodite and Apollo and set to sleep by Hypnos and Nyx. Like all the forgotten gods conspired to make her perfect, and somehow they all succeeded.

Elphaba was green. Green wasn’t pretty. Green wasn’t handsome. Green wasn’t beautiful. It was something they’d long since resigned themself to, but it was made all the more jarring when the likes of Galinda glided by on sunlight and fresh petals.

If Galinda had a soul, she might have been the most beautiful girl in the world. Pity she didn’t.

Then again, it made it easier to dislike her. Easier not to pay attention to the curve of her jaw and the shine of her hair and the striking blue of her eyes. Well, mostly.

They definitely didn’t have a crush on Galinda Arduenna. No, seriously, they didn’t. They definitely didn’t look forward to the Slytherin v Ravenclaw games because they knew Galinda would be playing chaser against Sarima. They definitely didn’t look forward to Herbology because Professor Sprout still had an incessant habit of pairing them together. They definitely didn’t look forward to Ancient Runes, because without Pfannee, Shenshen and Milla hovering over her shoulder, Galinda was the Galinda from the Library again. She actually laughed at their jokes, and asked for help and offered it, and sometimes they shared homework, and sometimes she’d smile up at them, and they definitely didn’t feel their stomach flip, and didn’t do whatever it took to make her smile like that again.

For a split second, Elphaba had thought maybe they could call her a friend, until one day they’d approached her in the Library when she wasn’t alone, and Galinda had looked them dead in the eye and asked what they thought they were playing at.

She’d apologised, insultingly enough, in Runes the next day, but the damage was done. Definitely not friends. Just convenient acquaintances. It was just charity for the green enby. They could live with that.

Well, so they thought. Then fourth year rolled around.

***

Galinda definitely didn’t have a crush on Elphaba Thropp. She didn’t. No, seriously, she didn’t. She definitely hadn’t kept their spare quill from that third day and she definitely didn’t use it for all her hardest homework because it felt lucky. Ancient Runes definitely wasn’t their favourite class because Elphaba would sit with her up the front and throw out sarcastic remarks about ancient civilisations and poor spelling in old druidic.

She definitely didn’t look for Elphaba in the crowd at her Quidditch games. She didn’t look for Elphaba in the Library, staying later and later in the hope that they might be around, might stumble across her studying, might stay and talk. She definitely hadn’t borrowed a book on gender and sexuality and poured over it late at night to try and figure out what this feelings was, and what it meant to be non-binary.

When she’d learned Nessa was a Thropp, she definitely hadn’t gone out of her way to keep Slytherin gossip in the girls favour, and she definitely hadn’t nudged a group of friendlier first year Slytherins in her direction.

Maybe she could have convinced herself. Maybe she could have just ignored it and kept her distance and tried to stop thinking about how soft Elphaba’s skin might be, and how adorable their lopsided smile was, and how sweet they were when no one was watching, almost by accident.

Maybe, until that day by the lake. She had been sitting in her usual position, up on the table surrounded by a sea of black and green, the whole group orienting themselves around her. They laughed when she laughed, and listened when she spoke.

Elphaba, rather distractingly, sat a short way away, alone with a book in one hand and an apple in the other. Galinda’s faction gave them enough venomous side eye to poison a mammoth, and occasionally one of them would toss out some cruel remark. She hated it, true, but it was a small price. She was Galinda Arduenna, the perfect Slytherin, and nothing would break her grip on the three lower years of her house.

Elphaba seemed to have buried their nose into their book and were trying to ignore it. It wasn’t that bad, but as usual, Galinda did nothing. Ignored it, or tried to, anyway.

“Don’t sit there too long, bean, or you might get mistaken for a weed,” one of the girls called toward them. Completely unoriginal.

And then a second year got too cocky, and crossed an invisible line.

“What even is it? I mean, it’s green. Is it a he or a she? Let’s just call it –”

“What the fuck did you just say?”

Quiet fell instantly. All eyes turned to Galinda, who sat glaring down at the offender, unmoving. Doubt flashed across his face as he locked eyes with the Queen.

A group of Ravenclaws nearby fell quiet to listen, and some passing Hufflepuffs hurried on a little faster.

“Go on, what did you say?” she prompted, keeping her voice steady.

“I said, umm, I asked what it was?” the boy croaked.

Nobody spoke. They were waiting for Galinda’s permission. She was angry, and she knew it was obvious. They could see it in the twitch of her muscles and the ice in her eyes.

“Apologise. Right now.”

“What?” the boy shrunk back. “I’m not going to apologise to it.”

“Them. They’re non-binary, and their pronouns are they, them and their.”

“So?” the boy mumbled, uncertainty making his voice waver pathetically.

“So, if attacking someone’s gender is the best insult you can come up with, you barely deserve to wear that green, and you sure as hell can’t sit here.”

“But I was just –”

“I said,” Galinda cut him off, posture stiffening even as she softened her voice, “Apologise.”

He glanced at Elphaba, who sat watching the whole scene unfold, eyebrows raised. He mumbled something that might have been an apology, and glanced back to Galinda. She wasn’t happy, but she was satisfied, and she let her lips curl into a smile.

“Now, shouldn’t you be anywhere else?”

The boys friends were already pulling him up and away from Galinda’s stormy gaze, and when he was gone, her eyes flicked to Elphaba but away just as quickly. She merely turned back to her followers, painting on a bright smile and striking up some inane conversation with Pfannee. Life quickly returned to the table, conversation resuming, and soon the incident was forgotten.

But everyone knew now. There was a line, and that was it. Cross it at your own peril.

She wanted to believe she’d done it because it was the right thing to do. She’d let the Slytherins make Elphaba an easy target for way too long, and she was just being a decent person, right? She was just defending a friend. No, not a friend. An acquaintance. A schoolyard acquaintance.

A schoolyard acquaintance she just happened to dream about.

Oh dear, sweet Salazar. She had a crush on Elphaba. Great. Just absolutely smashing. Just really top notch. Just a great way to wrap up Third year. This was not the kind of personal revelation she could get behind. Maybe the school break would kill these feelings. Maybe being away from them would wash them clean. Maybe this was nothing.

Something told her she was lying to herself, and pretty unsuccessfully too.


	3. Professor Pomona ‘You will work with Mir Thropp’ Sprout

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The lovebirds grow closer, thanks to one meddling professor...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for your patience. I just submitted my last assignment (forever) so you can expect more regular updates from now on. Thanks for reading and I hope you like it!

Yeah, fourth year didn’t improve things. No, actually, it _did_ improved things, just in the wrong direction. As week one drew to a close, it became abundantly clear that distance really did make the heart grow fonder. Unfortunately.

Galinda knew exactly who was to blame; Professor Pomona ‘You will work with Mir Thropp’ Sprout. She only had to step into Herbology to know exactly what Sprout would say next.

“Miss Arduenna, you will be working with…”

“I’m already going,” Galinda said nonchalantly, walking straight over to Elphaba as Sprout watched on with a smirk and a nod.

Elphaba’s cheeks darkened and they didn’t meet her gaze, just mumbled a greeting and offered her a pair of gloves. She couldn’t help but throw them a soft smile and accept them, working hard against the rising blush.

Professor Sprout, it was her doing. And she knew it. She had to. It was in the way her smile twitched whenever she glanced over to the pair working seamlessly together, Galinda lifting the watering can away from Elphaba when they leaned too close, and rereading the instructions before they’d even asked what to do next.

Sprout announced rather smugly that for this semesters assessment, they would raise a Screechsnap to maturity… as a group project… with Milla… and Boq.

They gathered up and Galinda realised with an unpleasant jolt that she was rather disappointed as Milla and Boq approached them. She wouldn’t have Elphaba all to herself… No, no! Do not think like that! This is good. Other people. Other people can be a buffer.

“Galinda,” Boq greeted her nervously, and she just smiled warmly.

“Boq, right?”

“Ah, yeah,” he nodded, blushing.

Oh no. Oh god. He had a crush on her. Okay, she’d just have to navigate this gently. She couldn’t be too harsh. He was Elphaba’s friend, and that would offend… no, no she couldn’t be harsh because being harsh would be mean. He was harmless. It was harmless.

Milla immediately planted herself beside Galinda, with Boq on Elphaba’s other side, and they gathered around the pot that Professor Sprout placed before them. It housed an unpleasant looking creature with black petals and a little screwed up face nestled among the petals. Naturally, Elphaba was fascinated by it.

“Each snap will require rather consistent care, and I expect you to work together to raise it and give it the love it needs,” Sprout instructed. “Now open your textbooks and take a moment to familiarise yourself with the Screechnap.”

“I’m going to name it,” Galinda said immediately, smiling brightly.

Elphaba couldn’t help but smirk as they flipped open to the page titled _Screechsnap; Flowers with Feelings_. “Really?”

“Really. Any ideas?”

“Oh, how about… Janet?” Milla offered.

“Or Simon?” Boq followed, blushing as soon as she looked at him.

“Or Xenophilius?” Milla added.

“Or Joan?”

“Elphaba?” Galinda turned to them tentatively. Milla gave her a confused look but said nothing.

“You’re not naming the plant after me,” Elphaba said flatly, trying hard to glare at Galinda.

“I meant do you have any suggestions,” Galinda shook her head, supressing a giggle.

“Oh, right…” Elphaba muttered.

“So?” Galinda prompted.

“How about… Asteria,” they tried to say it as though it wasn’t the first thing that’d come to mind when Galinda asked.

“What kind of a name is that?” Boq snorted.

“After the Screechsnap’s family, Asteraceae,” Elphaba explained.

Galinda smiled up at them, and nodded. “And also the ancient titan of the night and falling stars. It’s perfect.”

Elphaba blinked at her, pulling their lips out of a spreading smile hurriedly. They hadn’t expected anyone else to get that part.

“Asteria it is,” Galinda smiled brightly.

“Hey, you didn’t even consider our suggestions!” Milla objected half-heartedly.

“Yes, well they were all very good but I’m making an executive decision.”

Elphaba blushed, but they hoped to Rowena no one noticed. They only had to look up and find Boq’s eyebrows draw in, staring at them curiously, to know he had absolutely noticed.

***

“You have a crush on Galinda!” It wasn’t really and accusation, but it wasn’t really a question either. Boq said it with such surprise and vindication it was like an epiphany, and he was sharing it with Elphaba, rather than throwing shade.

“No, I don’t,” they said firmly, even as they felt the blush rise in their dark cheeks.

“Yes, you do! I saw the way you were looking at her. And you laughed at her jokes! And you didn’t even get mad when she made a mistake!”

“We’re just… we’re not even friends!”

“That’s why you were so mad at me for my crush!”

“No, really it wasn’t like that,” Elphaba felt a tinge of a plea sneak into their voice.

“You said it was because she’s a horrible person but…”

“She’s not a horrible person,” Elphaba blurted out before they could shut themself up.

Boq just grinned. “You’re an idiot.”

Elphaba groaned and fell to the grass, face in their hands. “Please can we not talk about this.”

“Come on Elphaba, if anyone’s going to understand it’s me!”

“Look, I just… I don’t want to talk about it,” they slumped back, not meeting Boq’s gaze.

He was silent for a minute, just staring at them, before he spoke much more gently, edging closer.

“You know… it’s okay if you do like her. She’s smart, and funny, and… I mean, really beautiful. And when we were in class, she was even kind of nice and…”

“Boq,” they cut in, finally looking up. “I know… I know she’s… amazing, but even if I did… even if I… I mean it doesn’t matter, does it? You’ve got a better chance than I do.”

“Why?”

“I’m green and enby, Boq.”

“You don’t know what Galinda…”

“Can we drop this?” they asked sharply, pulling a book from their bag.

“Okay, okay,” Boq nodded after a moment. “But I do get it, you know. I get it.”

They nodded, and a seemingly satisfied Boq pulled out his own books and they settled into study. Despite their reservations, and the dread settling into their stomach, it was kind of comforting to think Boq got it. In a different way, but he did get it. He liked Galinda from a distance. They liked Galinda for who she was buried deep down.

***

“We have like four weeks to do it,” Elphaba pointed out, and mentally slapped themself. Galinda was asking them to study in the library, not like in passing like she had actively sought them out after Runes, and that was all they could say?

“I know,” Galinda clutched her books to her chest. “I figured you’d want to get a head start, you know?”

“I don’t think your friends would approve.” _Really, Elphaba. That’s not better!_

“If you don’t want to, just say so,” Galinda pouted, face twitching back to hide something like… hurt?

“I, uh,” Elphaba began, only to stumble. You what, Elphaba? Last time you spoke to her outside of class, she treated you like garbage. It’s stupid to think she’d be any different this time around. “I mean, if you want to. I was going there now.”

Galinda’s shoulders relaxed and she stood a little straight. “Can I… walk you over?”

“Not if I walk you first.”

Galinda actually smiled at that, bright and wide, unreserved, right at Elphaba and their stupid joke. Their stomach did a flip and they hoped she couldn’t see their cheeks darken.

“Is that a challenge?”

“Maybe.”

“You should know, I’m extremely competitive.”

“I know,” Elphaba smirked, and blushed, and turned away. Boq was right. They were an idiot.

***

“I think there’s more than meets the eye,” Elphaba said thoughtfully, not looking up. “At least, I hope so.”

“Hope so?” Galinda asked, voice soft in the quiet of the library. They’d studied together a total of four times now, tucked into the back of the library, nothing but books and the occasional ghost to interrupt them. Except today, because Galinda had been awfully introspective and wouldn’t let Elphaba study until they’d told her exactly what they thought of her.

“Yeah,” Elphaba’s quill paused. “If there isn’t, then you’re a pretty horrible person.”

Galinda said nothing, and Elphaba realised with a jolt of fear and guilt that her lips were twitching down, and her eyes had grown distant. Shit, no, that was mean. Galinda was blushing and not in a good way, and chewing her lip… oh that was bad…

“Wait… that might have been too harsh,” Elphaba said hurriedly, trying not to care so much.

Galinda ran a finger down the spine of her book, breathing deeply. She shook her head. “Too true, maybe. But not too harsh.”

“Still, I didn’t… you’re not horrible, it’s just that sometimes…”

“I’m horrible Elphaba. You can say it,” Galinda confessed quietly. “I bullied you relentlessly for three years.”

“You weren’t the only one.”

“That’s hardly an excuse,” Galinda murmured.

Elphaba couldn’t help it. This wasn’t the Galinda who reigned over her posse. This was the Galinda in the Library, up past curfew. Only in the middle of the day, sitting studying with Elphaba.

“What changed?” they asked, trying desperately to sound nonchalant.

“I grew up, I guess. I hope.”

“So is this… is this a permanent thing or?”

“How do you mean?”

“I mean, if your friends found you here with me, what would you do?”

Galinda looked at them, and then cast her eyes down again. “I don’t know.”

“Temporary, then.”

“No, no,” Galinda’s eyes shot up, slightly wild. “Permanent. I just have to… I need… Can I confess something to you, Elphie?”

“Sure.” Their heart was in their throat, and their eyes couldn’t leave their place locked on the page.

“I really did want to be a Slytherin. But I don’t know, not anymore.”

“But, you’re… I don’t know, you’re you,” Elphaba blinked.

“Yeah. I know,” Galinda sighed. “And that’s not exactly a compliment.”

“But that’s not… I mean, that’s not about being in Slytherin,” Elphaba said hurriedly, resisting the urge to shift closer, to wrap an arm around the sniffling Galinda, to draw her closer… “You can be cunning _and_ kind, determined _and_ compassionate, resourceful _and_ generous. Cruelty is not a trait of Slytherin House.”

Tear tracks drew themselves softly down the curve of Galinda’s cheek and dripped silently from her jaw.

She was crying. Oh shit _she was crying_ …

“Wait no, Galinda, I didn’t mean… I was just trying to…”

They dropped their books and lurched forward, only to stop suddenly when they realised they didn’t know what to do. Hug her? They weren’t that close! Were they?

“I’m not crying because you’re wrong,” Galinda ran a finger under eye, brushing away tears that were instantly replenished. “You’re right, and I was such an idiot.”

“You’re not an idiot. You’re really not.” Elphaba slid forward and wrapped an awkward arm around Galinda. The blonde didn’t hesitate, turning into Elphaba’s neck and gripping tight.

Okay so they were that close. Elphaba felt the tears begin to burn. Not their tears, they weren’t crying. Galinda’s tears, pressed into their neck, burning down the green skin beneath.

Elphaba didn’t have to heart to pull away. They just gritted their teeth against the pain and pulled Galinda a little closer.

“I’m sorry,” Galinda sobbed. “I’m not usually like this it’s just…”

She didn’t get another word out, just turned into Elphaba’s collar bone and sobbed harder. A minute or two passed, and eventually Galinda leant back and slid away and began apologising, but Elphaba just waved it off, pulling their robes up to hide the scorch marks trailing up their neck. They tried not to notice how cold it felt with Galinda a few feet away, and moving further, tried to forget how soft her hair felt against their chin, how tightly she had gripped them.

“I’m sorry,” Galinda sniffed again, huddling behind a textbook. “I’m a blubbering mess before lunch and you’re just…”

Elphaba swore they heard her grunt “…perfect,” and felt their cheeks warm yet again.

“That’s really sweet, but I’m green.”

“Elphaba, that’s not… it’s not…” Galinda stumbled.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to.”

“No, it’s _not_. Being green is _not_ something wrong with you.”

“How exactly?” Elphaba laughed, but when they looked up to see if Galinda was serious, they found her staring right back, brow creased and eyes distressed. “It’s okay, some people just aren’t meant to be beautiful.”

Galinda didn’t respond straight away. She just stared up at them, gauging how serious they were.

“You really don’t think you’re beautiful?” she asked finally, searching their face as she brushed the last stray tear away.

“I’m not,” they shrugged.

“Oh god, but Elphie, you are.”

“I’m not.”

“But you’re so handsome.”

“Please don’t tell me I’m beautiful on the inside or whatever.”

“No, sweet Lurline no. I love a good cliché but I’m not that bad,” Galinda giggled, and then grew serious again. “I mean you’re just nice to look at. The curve of your jaw, and the high cheekbones, and perfect teeth that you can only see when you’re laughing, or when you’re thinking something over, because you always run your tongue along your teeth. And you’re hair. How can you not think your hair is beautiful? It’s the perfect shade, and has the perfect shine and sits just right no matter what you do with it. God, I’m so jealous of your hair. And honestly Elphie, most days I forget that being green is anything other than ordinary.”

***

Elphaba looked at her for a long moment, and it dawned Galinda realised exactly what she’d just said. To Elphaba. Right to their face.

“What reminds you?” they asked quietly, running a finger along the edge of their papers.

“What?” Galinda’s heart did an annoying little jig.

“You said most days you forget. What makes you remember?”

Galinda swallowed her embarrassment. Elphaba deserved to know they were beautiful. “When you wear something that matches the green perfectly. And no, black doesn’t count,” she rolled her eyes playfully. “Like that purple beanie you hide from everyone, and those jeans with the patches on them. Oh, or that black shirt with pink stripes you wore just the other day. It’s days like that.”

Elphaba grew very quiet. Galinda tried to keep her breathing steady and heart steadier.

“You really… you think I’m beautiful?” they asked softly.

“Elphie, I think you’re hot as hell,” Galinda said bluntly, and then blushed a deep shade of red, realising how far she’d let this go, and coughed gently. “I mean, objectively speaking.”

To say she was unconvincing would be generous. And then she remembered they were in the library, and they were not alone. Her blush someone grew deeper, and she buried her nose in her book.

“Anyway, this is due Tuesday, so I should…” she trailed off.

Elphaba just nodded, turning back to their own work and disappearing behind a stack of papers. But after a short moment, they looked back up and caught Galinda staring.

“I don’t know how you can say all that about me, but think you’re less than perfect,” Elphaba swallowed hard, not meeting Galinda’s gaze. “I didn’t believe in perfect people until I got to know  you.”

And then they dipped back behind their books and didn’t look up for the rest of the hour.

Two shelves away, Professor Sprout was definitely not eavesdropping on the end of that conversation and banging her head against a thick hardcover, silently begging those two sweethearts to just figure it out already.


End file.
